Sensing health using fluid sensors in feminine hygiene products

ABSTRACT

One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for analyzing substances within a liquid. The apparatus includes an absorber that comprises one or more layers of absorbent material for absorbing the liquid and one or more sensors embedded within the one or more layers of absorbent material. The sensors are configured to provide information associated with the substances included in the absorbed liquid. The apparatus further includes electrical conductive traces coupled to the one or more sensors, thereby facilitating transmission of outputs of the sensors.

BACKGROUND Field

The present disclosure relates to personal health monitoring. Morespecifically, the present disclosure relates to feminine hygieneproducts with built-in heath-monitors.

Related Art

The rapid development of mobile computing technologies has opened thedoor for wearable health monitoring devices, including devices that canmonitor a user's body temperature, heart rate, sleeping pattern, bloodpressure, etc. Although having the advantage of being portable andnon-invasive, most of these wearable health-monitoring devices can onlyprovide limited information about a person's health.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus foranalyzing substances within a liquid. The apparatus includes an absorberthat comprises one or more layers of absorbent material for absorbingthe liquid and one or more sensors embedded within the one or morelayers of absorbent material. The sensors are configured to provideinformation associated with the substances included in the absorbedliquid. The apparatus further includes electrical conductive tracescoupled to the one or more sensors, thereby facilitating transmission ofoutputs of the sensors.

In a variation on this embodiment, the absorber is part of: a disposablefeminine hygiene product (FHP), a disposable diaper, or a disposablewound dressing.

In a variation on this embodiment, the sensors include one or more of: acapacitance sensor, a conductance sensor, a chemical sensor, and abiological sensor.

In a further embodiment, the biological sensor include a printablecarbon-nanotube based sensor.

In a variation on this embodiment, the liquid comprises body fluid.

In a further variation, the substances include one or more of: abiological substance and a chemical substance.

In a variation on this embodiment, the apparatus further includes one ormore of: a microprocessor coupled to the sensors via the electricalconductive traces, a near-field communication (NFC) tag, and aradio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.

One embodiment provides an apparatus for analyzing a liquid contained inan absorbent material. The apparatus includes a needle array forpenetrating the absorbent material to extract the liquid and one or moresensors coupled to the needle array. The sensors are configured toprovide information associated with substances included in the liquid.The apparatus further includes electrical conductive traces coupled tothe one or more sensors, thereby facilitating transmission of outputs ofthe sensors.

One embodiment provides a feminine hygiene product (FHP). The FHPincludes an absorber that comprises one or more layers of absorbentmaterial for absorbing menstrual fluid and one or more sensors embeddedwithin the one or more layers of absorbent material. The sensors areconfigured to provide information associated with the substancesincluded in the menstrual fluid. The FHP further includes electricalconductive traces coupled to the one or more sensors, therebyfacilitating transmission of outputs of the sensors.

One embodiment provides a system for obtaining health informationassociated with a user of a feminine hygiene product (FHP). Duringoperation, the system receives outputs from one or more sensors embeddedin an absorption layer of the FHP, which absorbs the user's menstrualfluid. The system analyzes the outputs of the sensors to obtaininformation associated with one or more biological or chemicalsubstances included in the menstrual fluid and extracts healthinformation associated with the user based on levels of the biologicalor chemical substances.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1A and 1B present diagrams illustrating exemplary sensor groups,in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 presents a diagram illustrating the layered structure of anexemplary smart sanitary pad, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 presents a flowchart illustrating an exemplary use case of asmart FHP, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A illustrates the exploded view of an exemplary handheldbody-fluid-testing device, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary scenario of operating a handheldbody-fluid-testing device, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5A illustrates the exploded view of an exemplary body-fluid-testingsticker, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary scenario of applying multiple testingstickers, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary smart package, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6B shows an inner surface of the smart package, in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6C illustrates an exemplary smart container, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary use scenario of the smart package, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8A illustrates an exemplary absorber with a removable body-liquidtesting strip, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8B illustrates an exemplary external testing device, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary use scenario of the removable testingstrip and external tester, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate exemplary absorbers embedded withchromatographic indicators, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate groups of sensors embedded inside absorbentmaterial, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary computer system for providinghealth-related information, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same figureelements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview

Embodiments of the present invention provide a “smart” feminine hygieneproduct (FHP) (e.g., tampons, sanitary pads, pantyliners, menstrualcups, etc.) that can provide information associated with the health ofits user. More specifically, the smart FHP can include one or moreembedded sensors that can be in contact with menses collected by theFHP. The one or more sensors can sense various physical, chemical, andbiological properties of the menses, thus providing various types ofinformation related to the health of the user. In some embodiments, thestatus of the sensors can be reported to the user using visual effects.In some embodiments, printable circuitry can also be used to couple thesensors to processing unit that can analyze the sensor data and outputthe sensor data using a user-readable format.

FHP with Embedded Sensors

While there are many wearable devices on the market that can provideuseful health-related information to users, none of the devices isspecifically designed to address the various health issues that uniquelyaffect women. Many gynecologic disorders or diseases can beasymptomatic, and patients may not know their existence until it is toolate. On the other hand, even after some women notice pain ordiscomfort, they may attribute such pain or discomfort to the naturalmenstrual cycle and, hence, ignore it.

Although regular screening at a doctor's office or hospital can providetimely detections of gynecologic disorders or diseases, the screeningprocess can be painful or invasive and often costly. In certain parts ofthe world, many women may consider seeing a gynecologist anembarrassment and often skip necessary preventive care. Women needspecial, discreet tools that can allow them to monitor their own healthon a regular basis at a low cost.

Smart FHP technology takes advantage of the fact that, duringmenstruation, menstrual fluid can be discharged from a women's body, andthat for hygienic purposes, most women use certain types of FHPs tocollect the menstrual fluid. Because the menstrual fluid can includematerial that was part of the women's body, such as blood, cervicalmucus, vaginal secretions, and endometrial tissue, one can extractinformation associated with the women's health by testing the menstrualfluid. More specifically, the smart FHP technology can be implemented byincorporating sensors into the FHP, either by embedding into theabsorbent material or by printing onto the surfaces.

Because most women have regular menstrual cycles, using a smart FHP toobtain information associated with a women's health can make it possiblefor the woman to have constant surveillance of her personal healthwithout the need to perform any other sample-collecting operation. Forexample, using the smart FHP, a woman can have a daily blood test for aweek every month without using any intrusive (e.g., finger poking)method. In addition, because the menstrual fluid contains other types ofbody material in addition to blood, a smart FHP can also provide healthinformation that may not be available from a blood test.

Various types of sensors can be used to provide health information. Forexample, a simple capacitance sensor can be used for sensing fluidvolume. Because the volume, frequency, and pattern of the menstruationcan be related to women's health, volume measurements correlated withtime (e.g., by incorporating the capacitance sensor with a timer) canprovide useful information related to women's health. Moreover, thevolume sensor may also indicate to the user that the FHP is at itscapacity, and to prevent leakage, the user may want to change to a newone. Conductance sensors can be used to detect the presence of thefluid, together with its salinity and composition.

In some embodiments, multiple sensors can be grouped together to measurethe presence and concentration of multiple substances. In furtherembodiments, a particular sensor for measuring a particular substancemay be formed using an array of sensors having the same sensingelements. For example, a carbon nanotube (CNT)-based biosensor array canbe used to identify specific biogenic substances; and an array ofreactive chemical sensors can also be used to measure the presence andconcentration of multiple chemical substances. Both the biosensors andthe chemical sensors can produce electrical signals, because they relyon changes in electrical properties (e.g., electrical resistance) todetect substances. In addition, photometric chemical sensors can also beused to detect certain chemical properties associated with the menstrualfluid, such as pH values.

FIG. 1A presents a diagram illustrating an exemplary sensor group, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Sensor group 100can include multiple sensors (e.g., sensors, 102 and 104), each beingconfigured to detect and/or measure at least one substance, such as abiogenic substance (e.g., human hormone or virus), a chemical substance(e.g., birth control medication), and an element (e.g., oxygen, calcium,or iron). Some of the sensors in sensor group 100 (e.g., sensor 102) canbe a single sensor, whereas some of the sensors in sensor group 100(e.g., sensor 104) can include a sensor array, which can be a CNT-basedbiosensor array.

In addition to the two-dimensional array formation shown in FIG. 1A, thesensors in the sensor group can also be arranged into different types offormation, such as the one shown in FIG. 1B. The scope of this inventionis not limited to the arrangement of the sensors.

FIG. 2 presents a diagram illustrating the layered structure of anexemplary smart sanitary pad, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. Like any conventional sanitary pad or napkin, smartsanitary pad 200 can include multiple layers. More specifically, smartsanitary pad 200 can include a top sheet 202, which can include a quickabsorbing lining that can be the receiving surface of the menstrualfluid. The quick absorbing lining can include funnel-shaped pores thatallow instant infiltration of fluid while preventing backflow. Becausetop sheet 202 can come into direct contact with the user's skin, topsheet 202 typically is made of hypoallergenic materials.

Paper layers 204 and 208 can be used to sandwich absorption layer 206.More specifically, each of the paper layers 204 and 208 can include oneor more layers of dust-free paper. Absorption layer 206 is the main bodyof smart sanitary pad 200, and can include highly effective absorbentmaterials for absorbing the menstrual fluid along with embedded sensorsfor detecting various substances contained within the menstrual fluid.In some embodiments, absorption layer 206 itself can also includemultiple layers, such as one or more layers made of absorbent agents andone or more layers that include sensors and connecting circuitry. In theexample shown in FIG. 2, absorption layer 206 can include, from topdown, a filter layer 212, a sensor layer 214, a filter layer 216, and asensor layer 218. More specifically, filter layers 212 and 216 are madeof absorbent agents that expand as they absorb the menstrual fluid. Notethat, because different substances may be absorbed at different rates bythe absorbent agents, filter layers 212 and 216 can also function aschromatographic tools that separate the different substances, withcertain substances being tested by sensors on sensor layer 214, whileother substances tested by sensors on sensor layer 218. For effectiveseparation of the substances, in further embodiments, filter layers 212and 216 may include different materials or have different packingdensities. Layout of sensors on sensor layers 214 and 218 can bearranged based on the properties (e.g., speed of diffusion) of thesubstances.

Sensor layers 214 and 218 can include not only the various sensors butalso the circuitry that may connect the sensors to a processing chip(e.g., a Si-based processing chip). The processing chip can processinformation detected by the sensors and can report the processedinformation to an external device. Alternatively, the processing chipmay not have the computational capacity for processing informationdetected by the sensors. Instead, the processing chip may simply reportthe sensor status to an external device, which then records andprocesses such information. For example, the processing chip mayinterface with an application running on a smartphone of the user,reporting the sensor status to the smartphone app, which can thenprocess the sensor status to extract information related to the user'shealth. In some embodiments, the processing chip can include anear-field communication (NFC) or radio-frequency identification (RFID)tag. In addition to NFC and RFID, other wireless communicationmechanisms can also be used to transmit the sensor data, including butnot limited to: Bluetooth and infrared. The connecting circuitry can beprinted on the same flexible substrate on which the sensors were grown,if the sensors are CNT-based sensors. For example, hybrid printedelectronics technology can be used to achieve a sensing-and-transmittingsystem that uses printable electronics (which can include printablesensors, multiplexers, conductive traces, antennas, and ancillarypassive elements) alongside Si-based microelectronic devices used foranalog-to-digital conversion, processing, and wireless transmission.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the sensors and absorbent agents areshown on different layers. In practice, they may have differentformations, and different methods can be used to embed the sensors. Forexample, instead of having a layered structure, absorption layer 206 mayinclude a continuous body of absorbent agents, and the sensors alongwith the connecting and/or processing circuitry can be embedded insidethe continuous body of absorbent agents. Alternatively, the sensors andthe connecting circuitry may have a 3D structure and can be wovenbetween absorbent fibers of the sanitary pad.

Smart sanitary pad 200 can also include a backsheet 222, which can bepermeable to air but not water, and an adhesive base layer 224.

In addition to sanitary pads or napkins, the same technology can be usedin other types of FHP, such as tampons, pantyliners, menstrual cups,etc. Depending on the type of the FHP, different methods may be neededto embed the sensors. For example, because the absorption layer includedin pantyliners is usually much thinner than the one included in asanitary pad or napkin, and because a pantyliner is expected to collecta lesser amount of fluid, a smart pantyliner may include fewer sensors.Moreover, when used in tampons, the layout of the sensors and theconnecting circuitry may need to adapt to the shape and compact size ofthe tampon. On the other hand, the lack of absorbent materials used onmenstrual cups means that the sensors may need to be printed, directly,onto the inner surface of the menstrual cups to make contact with themenstrual fluid.

Moreover, the sensing-and-transmitting system that employs printablesensors can also be used in other products that deal with body fluids,such as diapers (baby or adult), nursing pads, wound dressings (e.g.,Band-Aids or bandages), incontinence products, clothing, shoe insertsand linings, seats and beddings, etc. By embedding sensors inside theabsorbent materials that absorb the body fluids during normal usage,embodiments of the present invention provide a solution for a user toobtain health-related information in a non-invasive and private manner.

FIG. 3 presents a flowchart illustrating an exemplary use case of asmart FHP, according to an embodiment of the present invention. A usercan obtain a smart FHP (e.g., a sanitary pad) (operation 302). The usercan use the smart FHP in a way that is similar to the usage ofconventional FHPs. The smart FHP collects menstrual fluid (operation304). The collected menstrual fluid can come into contact with varioussensors incorporated into the smart FHP (operation 306). The sensors caninclude but are not limited to: a conductance sensor, a capacitancesensor, an array of biosensors, and a array of chemical sensors. In someembodiments, absorbent agents included in the FHP can act aschromatographic filters to spatially separate various substancesincluded in the menstrual fluid, and the various sensors can be arrangedbased on the properties of the substances they intend to detect.

Subsequent to the sensors detecting the substances and/or theirconcentration, the sensor data can be sent to a processing unit(operation 308). The processing unit can be located on or off the FHP.In other words, the processing unit can be part of the smart FHP or canbe located on an external device. The processing unit can perform simpleor complex data analysis on the sensor data to obtain various types ofinformation, including but not limited to: the current flow rate of themenstrual fluid, body temperature, level of birth-control medicines,amount of oxygen, amount of iron, pH balance, level of hydration, bloodalcohol level, glucose level, lactobacilli level, existence of differentviruses (e.g., HPV or HIV virus), presence of bacteria, and histaminelevels. The outcome of the analysis by the processing unit canoptionally be transmitted to an application running on the user'ssmartphone or can be uploaded to cloud-based analysis services(operation 310). The smartphone app can extract health-relatedinformation, and provide, via a user interface, the health-relatedinformation to the user (operation 312). Moreover, the smartphone app oranalysis service can also maintain past health information associatedwith the user and, hence, can correlate the health information withtime. For example, based on data obtained from different time instances,the system can identify patterns of menstruation (e.g., flow patterns).By monitoring changing levels of certain substances (e.g., pH balance,lactobacilli, etc.), the system may identify potential problemsassociated with the user's vaginal health. On the other hand, bymonitoring levels of iron and glucose, the system may identify problemsassociated with the user's general health. In some embodiments, datacollected from a large number of users over a relatively long timeperiod can also be used as input to certain population-health-analysisalgorithms to obtain health information associated with the population.For example, such data may be used to predict population-level trendsand the progression of diseases.

After usage, the smart FHP can be disposed of in a way similar to thatfor disposing of a conventional FHP (operation 314).

Handheld Sensing Device

In addition to embedding sensors or sensor arrays inside a disposableproduct (e.g., FHP), in some embodiments, the sensors or sensor arraysmay be placed inside a separate handheld device that can collect andtest samples from absorbent materials. For example, a user may place thehandheld device on top of a soiled FHP, and the handheld device cancollect and test the menstrual fluid absorbed by the FHP.

In some embodiments, the handheld device can include an array of needlesor microneedles that can penetrate absorbent material (e.g., absorbentagents in an FHP), and capillary action can result in the fluidcontained inside the absorbent material flowing into the needle tubesand encountering sensors inside the needle tubes. In some embodiments, asingle needle may include a single sensor for detecting a particularchemical or biological substance. In some embodiments, a single needlemay include a sensor array (e.g., a CNT-based biosensor array) fordetecting one or multiple substances. In some embodiments, multipleneedles and their included sensors may be grouped together to form asensor array. In addition to the needle array, the handheld device caninclude an extended handle that allows a user to hold the handle whileperforming the testing, thus reducing the chances of the user's handtouching the soiled absorbent material.

The handheld device can also include electronic circuitry and,optionally, a processing unit for outputting and processing the sensordata. In some embodiments, the processing unit can receive raw data fromeach sensor and perform necessary processing to analyze the content ofthe body fluid under test. For example, the processing unit may obtainmeasurements of substances within the menstrual or other types of bodyfluid contained in the absorbent material. In some embodiments, thehandheld device may simply transmit raw sensor data to a separatecomputing device, which can be local to the user or in a remote dataprocessing center. The separate computing device can then performcomputations based on the received raw sensor data in order to extracthealth-related information.

In some embodiments, the result and/or analysis of the sensor data canbe sent to an application running on the user's smartphone or othermobile devices. The user can then get a report regarding her health byopening the user interface of the application.

FIG. 4A illustrates the exploded view of an exemplary handheldbody-fluid-testing device, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. In FIG. 4A, a handheld body-fluid-testing device 400includes a handle 402, a microprocessor 404, a sensor layer 406, abattery layer 408, and a needle array 410.

Handle 402 can allow the user's hand to be kept at the minimum distanceto the sample under test, thus reducing the chances for contamination.FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary scenario of operating the handheldbody-fluid-testing device 400, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. In FIG. 4B, a user is holding the handheldbody-fluid-testing device by its handle, and can press the detectingsurface of the handheld body-fluid-testing device onto a soiled sanitarypad to collect and test menstrual fluid absorbed by the sanitary pad.

Returning to FIG. 4A, microprocessor 404 can be responsible forprocessing the data collected by the multiple sensors located on sensorlayer 406. In some embodiments, microprocessor 404 can also be coupledto a wireless communication module, which can transmit the sensor dataas well as the processing results to an external device. The sensors onsensor layer 406 can be coupled to the needles in needle array 410. Insome embodiments, sensor layer 406 includes sensor circuitry, whereasthe sensing elements (e.g., elements that react with the to-be-detectedsubstances) are attached to the needles in needle array 410. The typesof sensors included in sensor layer 406 can be similar to the onesembedded into the FHP, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B and FIG. 2.

Battery layer 408 can provide a battery for powering both the sensorsand microprocessor 404. Moreover, battery layer 408 can includemechanisms for coupling the sensors and the needles in needle array 410.Note that FIG. 4A is for illustration purposes only and does not limitthe relative locations of the various components. For example, insteadof being positioned between sensor layer 406 and needle array 410, thebattery may be placed at other locations, as long as it can beelectrically coupled to the sensors and microprocessor 404.

Needle array 410 can include an array of needles or microneedles thatcan penetrate absorbent materials to collect liquid samples. In someembodiments, handheld device 400 is reusable while needle array 410 canbe disposable. In other words, after each use, the user may discard thesample-collecting needles and, optionally, the sensors attached to theneedles, while keeping all other components for future use. It is alsopossible for the user to reuse these needles. However, after each use,the needles need to be sterilized to prevent cross-contamination.

In addition to needle array 410, in some embodiments, the sensingsurface of handheld body-fluid-testing device 400 can also have othertypes of sample-collecting means. For example, pad sensors can beinstalled on the sensing surface that can detect substances uponcontacting the surface of the absorbent materials. Alternatively,optical sensors can also be used to detect color changes of theabsorbent materials. For example, the absorbent material may changecolor at certain locations corresponding to the pH values of the bodyfluid.

In the example shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the handheld body-fluid-testingdevice is configured like a stamp that can fit a normal hand, and a useris expected to press the stamp onto the surface of the absorbentmaterial to extract and test liquid held by the absorbent material. Inpractice, the handheld body-fluid-testing device may have differentshapes, sizes, or configurations. For example, the body-fluid-testingdevice may have a simpler form (e.g., handleless) and can be muchsmaller. In some embodiments, specially designed “stickers” can be usedto test body fluid contained in absorbent material.

Like the handheld body-fluid-testing device, the specially designedtesting stickers can have a needle array or microneedle array forextracting fluid from absorbent materials. The needle or microneedlearray can facilitate the testing stickers to be stuck onto the surfaceof the absorbent materials (e.g., the surface of a sanitary pad). Thetesting stickers can further include sensors and, optionally, aprocessing unit or microprocessor. FIG. 5A illustrates the exploded viewof an exemplary body-fluid-testing sticker, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5A, a body-fluid-testing sticker 500 includes a needle array502, a battery layer 504, a sensor layer 506, a microprocessor 508, anda top sheet 510. Needle array 502 can be similar to needle array 410shown in FIG. 4A. All the other layers can also be similar to thecorresponding layers shown in FIG. 4A. However, due to its size limit,sensor layer 506 may have fewer sensors than sensor layer 406 shown inFIG. 4A. In some embodiments, instead of having different types ofsensors, sensor layer 506 may only include a single sensor or a sensorarray configured to detect a particular substance within or a particularproperty of the body fluid. For example, a pH-testing sticker can beused to measure the pH value of the body fluid, or a glucose-testingsticker can be used to measure the glucose level. Other types of sensorscan also be used in each individual testing-sticker to allow the user totest for different substances or properties. In some embodiments,multiple stickers can be used simultaneously to provide the user withmultiple pieces of health-related information.

FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary scenario of applying multiple testingstickers, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. InFIG. 5B, multiple testing stickers (e.g., a sticker 512 for testing thepH value, a sticker 514 for testing the hydrogen level, and a sticker516 for testing the level of a particular human hormone) can besimultaneously applied onto a soiled sanitary pad, each configured todetect a particular type of substance and transmit the sensor data to asmartphone 520. After usage, the stickers can be discarded along withthe soiled sanitary pad.

In some embodiments, testing stickers can be attached to the packagethat holds the FHPs such that the consumer can purchase the FHP alongwith the testing stickers. For example, each individually packagedsanitary pad may include in its package one or more testing stickers.Alternatively, the testing stickers can be sold separately, and aconsumer can choose which type of testing stickers to purchase based onher need for certain health-related data. For example, if a user isparticularly concerned with monitoring for a yeast infection, she maychoose a testing sticker that can measure and correlate the volume ofvaginal lactobacillus with the volume of menstrual fluid, which is agood indicator of a potential occurrence of yeast infection.Alternatively, if the user is more concerned with diabetes, she maychoose a testing sticker that can test the blood glucose level.

Containers with Built-in Sensors

In addition to embedding the sensors into the absorbent material orusing needles to extract liquid from the absorbent material, in someembodiments, the body-fluid-containing absorbent material can also betested while it is placed inside a waterproof package or container. Morespecifically, sensors or sensor arrays can be attached (either by directprinting or by other attachment mechanisms) to the inner surface of thewaterproof package or container. When absorbent material containingto-be-tested liquid is placed inside the package or container, thesensors or sensor arrays can come into contact with the to-be-testedliquid to detect and measure certain types of substances included in theliquid. The sensor status can be transmitted to external devices forprocessing.

After testing, the “smart” package and the to-be-tested material can bediscarded together. This can allow hygienic and discreet testing of manydifferent kinds of liquid-containing objects, including but not limitedto: FHPs, baby or adult diapers, nursing pads, wound dressings, cleaningproducts, etc. The smart package can also be used to hold crime sceneevidence, which can sometimes include fabric or other materials soakedwith blood. Other types of biological or chemical samples can also beanalyzed using the smart package instead of being handled directly byusers. More specifically, placing the samples (e.g., soiled diapers orFHPs) inside the package often requires minimum user handling. Unliketraditional testing, the user of the smart package is not required tocollect liquid from the samples, which can be a daunting task foramateurs.

In some embodiments, the sensors may be placed in such a way that a usermay need to drop the to-be-tested sample in a particular orientation toensure contact between the sensors and liquid contained in the sample.For example, if the sensors are printed on one side of the package, theuser may need to drop the sample with the liquid-containing surfacefacing the sensor side of the package. In some embodiments, the sensorsmay be placed in such a way that they can test samples that are randomlyplaced inside the container. For example, sensors can be printed on bothsides of the package, and regardless of its orientation, theliquid-containing surface can be exposed to the sensors.

FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary smart package, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6B shows an inner surface ofthe smart package, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. When viewed from the outside, smart package 600 can look likea conventional envelope. Although it is possible to use paper, toprevent leakage, smart package 600 can be made of waterproof materials,such as plastics or biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate(BoPET). Smart package 600 can also have multiple layers, the innerlayer being waterproof.

In FIG. 6B, multiple sensors, including sensor arrays, can be printedonto at least one of the inner surfaces of smart package 600. Inaddition to the printable sensors, other printable components, such asconductive traces and ancillary passive elements, can also be printedonto the inner surface of smart package 600. In some embodiments, smartpackage 600 can also include a processing and communication unit 602,which can process the sensor data and transmit the sensor data andanalysis result to an external device.

FIG. 6C illustrates an exemplary smart container, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. Smart container 610 can include aphysical enclosure shaped like a rectangular prism having an opening612. A number of sensors (e.g., sensor 614) can be printed onto theinner bottom surface of container 610. When a sample containingbiological or chemical substances is dropped inside container 610 fromopening 612, the sensors can detect the biological or chemicalsubstances. In some embodiments, the sensor data can be processed by aprocessor attached to smart container 610, and processing results can bedisplayed by a display attached to smart container 610. Other than therectangular prism, smart container 610 can have different shapes.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary use scenario of the smart package, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In operation702, a user may obtain a smart package. Depending on the dimensions ofthe sample, the smart package may have various shapes and sizes. In thisexample, the smart package can be an envelope suitable for testingsanitary pads. In operation 704, the user places a soiled sanitary padinside the envelope. Depending on the design (e.g., the way sensors wereprinted on the inner surface of the envelope), the user may need toarrange the sanitary pad so that the soiled surface will face thesensors. It is also possible for the sensors to be printed on all of theinner surfaces of the envelope so the user may randomly drop in theto-be-tested item.

In operation 706, the user seals the envelope. For flexible packages(e.g., the envelope), the user may press the package against itscontents to ensure sufficient contact between the to-be-tested sampleand the sensors. Because the package is waterproof and has been sealed,doing so will not cause leakage or contamination. The sensors located onthe inner surface of the package can then sense the various substanceswithin the menstrual fluid contained in the soiled sanitary pad. The rawor processed sensor data can then be transmitted to an external device(e.g., the user's smartphone), which can perform health analysis anddisplay the results to the user.

In operation 708, the user discards the sealed envelope along with itscontents. If the envelope contains forensic evidence or industrialsamples, the envelope may be stored for future use.

As one can see from FIG. 7, the smart package provides a hygienic anddiscreet way for a user to perform at-home testing of body fluids. Thereare other advantages to using the smart package for sample storage andtesting. A sealed package can prevent or minimize contamination of theto-be-tested sample. This can be important in many scientific, forensic,or industrial usages. In some embodiments, depending on the usage, thesmart package can also be pre-treated with certain chemicals or includedesiccants to preserve the samples. The sealed package also allowsdiscreet transport of the samples. Other people will not know thecontents of the package. The package itself can also protect the peoplehandling hazardous samples. For example, certain forensic evidence mayhave sharp edges (e.g., broken glasses, or knives); placing suchevidence inside a sealed package for testing can prevent injury.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, the sensor data or testing results aresent wirelessly to an external device. In practice, different methodscan be used to obtain the sensor data. In some embodiments, the sensorcircuitry can extend from the inner surface of the package to the outersurface such that an external reader can be electrically coupled to thesensors in order to read the sensor data. In some embodiments, the smartpackage may include photometric chemical sensors containing fluorescentdyes, and the sensor results can be read optically from the exterior ofthe package. In some embodiments, the exterior of the smart package mayinclude a display (e.g., an E-Ink display), which can be printed on orembedded in the outer surface of the package. Metadata associated withthe content of the package, including the sensor data, can be displayed.

In addition to flexible materials, such as paper and plastics, the smartpackage can also be made of non-flexible materials, such as glass ormetal. In some embodiments, in addition to printed sensors, the smartpackage or container itself can include non-electric sensing materials,such as color-changing materials, that can be used to sense certainsubstances. For example, a smart package can be made by laminating alayer of color-changing material (e.g., litmus paper) on the inside of atransparent protective outer layer. The package itself may change colorin response to the property of or substances within the contents of thepackage.

In addition to the rectangular shape shown in FIG. 7, the smart packagecan have many different shapes and sizes. In some embodiments, thedimensions of the smart package or container can be designed based onits intended uses. Other than the envelope or container shown in FIGS.6A-7, the smart package can take on other formats, such as a pouch, abag, or any other devices that includes a partially or fully enclosedspace for holding a sample.

Moreover, in addition to sensors for detecting liquid material, thesmart package or container may also include gas sensors that can detectgaseous substances released by the item sealed in the container. Forexample, a smart diaper pail may be installed with print-on gas sensorsthat can monitor and analyze gases released by the dirty diapers andremind the user to empty the pail or alert the user to certain healthconditions related to the baby.

Removable Testing Strip and External Tester

In aforementioned embodiments, different methods were used to testliquid (e.g., body fluid) contained in absorbent materials, includingembedding sensors into the absorbent material, using a handheld deviceto extract and test the liquid, and placing the absorbent material intoa smart package having printed sensors. Implementations of hybridprinted electronics technology have made it possible to integrate theprintable sensors with Si-based components (e.g., processors or wirelesstransmitters). However, including the Si-based components can add costand can be bulky.

In some embodiments of the present invention, absorbent materialcontaining body fluid may include a smaller removable portion embeddedwith sensors, and an external reader can be used to interface withremovable portion to extract the sensor data. For example, a sanitarypad can include, within its absorption layer, a small removable sectionthat is formed by perforating the absorbent material, adding anon-permeable support layer and a tab extending out of the back surfaceof the sanitary pad. The tab allows the user to remove the cut-outsection from the backside of the sanitary pad. This can minimize contactbetween the user's fingers and the soiled side of the sanitary pad. Thelocation and size of the removable section can be carefully designed toensure that a sufficient amount of the sample (e.g., menstrual fluid)can be collected for analysis.

After removing the removable section from the larger sample (e.g., asoiled sanitary pad or a dirty diaper), a user can place the removablesection onto a specially designed reader to extract sensor data. In someembodiments, the specially designed reader may also include, on itssurface, sensors that can perform additional sensing functions. In someembodiments, the removable section may not include embedded sensors andthe external reader does all the sensing.

FIG. 8A illustrates an exemplary absorber with a removable body-liquidtesting strip, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. More specifically, absorber 800 can be part of a personalhygiene product (e.g., an FHP or diaper) or a medical product (e.g., awound dressing), which absorbs body fluid, and can be made of anysuitable material. Absorber 800 can include a removable testing strip802. When absorber 800 is in use, testing strip 802 can be embeddedinside absorber 800, absorbing body fluid. In some embodiments, testingstrip 802 can include a number of sensors or sensor arrays. The embeddedsensor or sensor arrays can be similar to the ones shown in FIGS. 1A-1B.Subsequent to using the personal hygiene product, a user can lift uptesting strip 802, as shown in FIG. 8A. To minimize the user's physicalcontact with the body fluid, absorber 800 can be configured in such away that testing strip 802 is lifted up from the backside (i.e., theside opposite to the soiled surface) of the personal hygiene or medicalproduct. In addition to diapers and FHPs, absorber 800 can also be usedin other products that may absorb fluid, such as cleaning products.

In some embodiments, testing strip 802 can optionally be reinforcedusing a sheet of material that facilitates its removal from absorber800. For example, testing strip 802 can be attached (e.g., glued) to aplastic tab, and a user can remove testing strip 802 by pulling theplastic tab. At least a portion of the plastic tab is separated from theabsorbent material by a layer of non-permeable material to allow theuser to pull the tab without touching the absorbent material. Inadditional to plastic, other types of material, such as fabric, metal,glass, etc., can also be used to reinforce testing strip 802, as long asthe reinforcing material is stiffer than the absorbent material inabsorber 800. In some embodiments, absorber 800 and testing strip 802can be designed in such a way that the removal of testing strip 802 canresult in another non-absorbent or non-permeable component beingextracted to fill or cover the void left by testing strip 802. Forexample, as the user is pulling away or lifting up testing strip 802,another sheet of plastic can be pulled from the back surface of absorber800, covering the void.

Testing strip 802 can then be placed onto an external testing device810, as shown in FIG. 8B. External testing device 810 can includereaders capable of reading sensor data from sensors embedded in testingstrip 802. For example, testing strip 802 may include an RFID tagcoupled to the sensors, and external testing device 810 may include anRFID reader. In the example shown in FIG. 8B, external testing device810 also includes a sensor region 812 with embedded sensors or sensorarrays. This way, even if testing strip 802 does not contain embeddedsensors, by having direct physical contact with testing strip 802, thesensors in sensor region 812 can sense the various substances includedin the body fluid. In some embodiments, external testing device 810 caninclude a display 814 that can display the extracted sensor data orhealth analysis results.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary use scenario of the removable testingstrip and external tester, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. In operation 902, a user is using a sanitary pad 912having a removable testing strip to collect menstrual fluid. The usageof the sanitary pad can be the same as the usage of any conventionalsanitary pad. Like conventional sanitary pads, sanitary pad 912 includesabsorbent material that only allows liquid to permeate in one direction(as illustrated by drawing insert 914). Absorbed fluid will not flowback even after pressing.

In operation 904, the user can lift up, from the backside of sanitarypad 912, removable or peel-able testing strip 916. Removable testingstrip 916 can include a tab for easy peeling. Because the tab is on thebackside of sanitary pad 912, it usually is not contaminated by themenstrual fluid. After removing testing strip 916, the user can discardthe sanitary pad as usual.

In operation 906, the user can place testing strip 916 on externaltester 918. In some embodiments, external tester 918 can include a voidthat holds testing strip 916. In some embodiments, external tester 918can have a flat surface. As discussed earlier, external tester 918 canalso include sensors and a display. External tester 918 can transmit theextracted sensor data and, optionally, analysis results to an apprunning on the user's smartphone.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 8A-8B and FIG. 9, there is only oneremovable section. In practice, the absorber may include multipleremovable sections, each used for testing a different substance. Thiscan be useful when the absorbent material acts as a chromatographicfilter and different substances have been spatially separated.

Incorporating removable testing strips into the absorbers of the varioushygiene products can provide a number of advantages. Sample storage canbecome much simpler. Instead of storing bulky items, such as diapers orpads, the user only needs to store a small testing strip, which can beplaced into a small sterile package for later use. Furthermore, it iseasier to keep the process of storing or testing smaller sampleshygienic and discreet.

In some embodiments, the product can include a visual indication thatshows the user the location of the removable testing strip. For example,the removable testing strip can have a different color or can be markedby a border. This tells the user which part of the absorber will be usedfor sensing. To ensure that sufficient amount of sample can be obtained,the user may wish to place the product a certain way. For example, whenapplying wound dressings, a user may wish to place the removable testingstrip closer to the center of the wound.

The removal of the testing strip can indicate to users that a testingsample has been collected from a product. In some embodiments, specialdesigns can be used to enhance the visual effect. For example, theabsorbent material underneath the testing strip can be dyed a differentcolor. This way, a user can clearly see the void left by the removedtesting strip.

Chromatography-Aided Substance Sensing

As discussed previously, the absorbent material contained in personalhygiene or medical products (e.g., diapers, sanitary pads, nursing pads,bandages, paper towels, etc.) can sometimes act as a chromatographicfilter, because the different substances contained in the absorbedliquid (e.g., blood or urine) diffuse differently in the absorbentmaterial. For example, plasma and leukocytes in blood can have differentdiffusion speeds in absorbent materials. This property can be useful fordetecting the various substances contained in the absorbed liquid. Morespecifically, the absorbent material can act as the stationary phase inchromatography to spatially separate the various substances. Variousknown chromatography techniques and materials can be used.

The spatial separation of substances can be used to aid theidentification of the substances. In some embodiments, the sensingresults may be displayed using visual effects. For example, bypre-calibrating the absorbent material, one can know the range ofseparation of the different substances. Accordingly, different parts ofthe absorbent material in a product can be impregnated with differentchemically color-changing materials, which can be arranged in patternsbased on the expected diffusion of the absorbed liquid.

FIG. 10A illustrates an exemplary absorber embedded with chromatographicindicators, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.In FIG. 10A, the surface of an absorber 1002 can be include a printedpattern of various chemically color-changing materials. Morespecifically, the printed pattern can include a number of concentricrings, with each individual zone containing a particular chemicallycolor-changing material. In other words, different zones can react todifferent substances (e.g., chemical or biological substances) and canchange to different colors. This way, as the various substances diffuseas predicted, a particular substance can react with a particularcolor-changing material. Each zone becomes an individual sensor thatsenses an individual substance. Because the diffusion properties of thesubstances result in a particular substance having a higherconcentration at a particular zone, each zone can then be more likely toproduce a higher quality result than the scenario where the absorbedliquid was treated as a uniform body.

In the example shown in FIG. 10A, the absorbed liquid diffusedconcentrically, as indicated by the arrows. This can be the case of asanitary pad or nursing pad. In some cases, the absorbed liquid maydiffuse, at least partially, in a certain direction, and the printedpattern of the chemically color-changing materials may be different.FIG. 10B illustrates a different scenario where absorbed liquid diffusesin a direction as indicated by arrow 1004. Accordingly, differentchemically color-changing materials can form a pattern that includesmultiple parallel strips. This can be the case of a diaper. At alocation far away from the liquid entry point, it can be viewed that theliquid is diffusing in one direction.

The sensing results, i.e., the color-changing results, can providedirect visual indication to the user of certain substances. In someembodiments, optical sensors can also be used to read the color-changingresults, and outputs of the optical sensors can be analyzed to providehealth-related information.

In some embodiments, the chromatographic effect can be combined withelectronic sensors to provide more effective ways to detect substances.More specifically, the spatial separation of the substances makes itpossible to place sensors at corresponding locations. For example, achemical sensor for detecting a certain chemical can be placed at thelocation where the chemical will have a higher concentration afterdiffusion.

FIG. 11A shows a group of sensors embedded inside absorbent material, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 11A, anumber of sensors are embedded inside absorber 1100, such as sensors1102 and 1104. Absorber 1100 can be made of various absorbent materials,such as paper, cellulose fibers, cotton, hydrocolloid dressing, and acombination of hydrocolloid non-permeable dressing and absorbent fabric.The sensors can be similar to the sensors shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Thedifferent sensors can sense the presence and concentration of differentsubstances. For example, sensor 1102 can be used for sensing substanceA, whereas sensor 1104 can be used for sensing substance B. The way thatthe sensors are arranged is based on the diffusion property of thevarious substances. In the example shown in FIG. 11A, the liquid isdiffusing in both directions (as indicated by the double ended arrow),and substance A diffuses the fastest. As a result, sensors for detectingsubstance A can be placed the furthest away from the center ofdiffusion. All the other sensors, the ones for sensing substances B, C,and D, are also placed based on the diffusion properties of substancesB, C, and D.

In some embodiments, instead of using different sensors to detect thedifferent substances, simple conductance or capacitance sensors can beused to detect the different diffusion speeds of the substances and,hence, the presence of the different substances.

FIG. 11B shows another scenario where the absorbed liquid diffuses inone direction, as indicated by the arrow. Similar to what shown in FIG.11A, sensors for sensing substance A are placed further away from thestarting point of the diffusion.

In addition to sensors, other electronic components, such as conductivetraces, processors, and transmitters can also be embedded in theabsorber, similar to what is shown in FIG. 2. If the absorber includesthin layers of paper or fabric, the sensors and conductive trances canbe directly printed onto the surface of the paper or fabric, similar tothe example shown in FIG. 6B.

Certain chemicals that can assist in the sensing of substances can alsobe placed (by infusing, embedding, printing, or injecting) at speciallocations (also known as chemical reaction zones) within the absorberbased on diffusion properties of the substances that may react with thechemicals. For example, glucose oxidase (which is used for testingglucose levels) can be strategically placed at particular locationswithin the absorbent material of a sanitary pad. Biosensors for testingthe glucose levels can then be embedded or printed at those locations tomeasure the concentration of the oxidized glucose, reflecting the bloodglucose level of the user.

Similar to the examples shown in FIG. 2, the hygiene or medical productequipped with chromatography-aided sensors may or may not include aprocessing unit that can process and transmit the sensor data. If theprocessor is not included, the sensor data can be read and processed byan external device. If the processor is included, the processed resultcan be directly displayed to the user via a display mechanismincorporated into the product or can be displayed to the user via anapplication running on the user's smartphone.

Incorporating the chromatographic properties of the absorbent materialinto the substance-sensing process can provide a number of advantages.The chromatographic properties are inherent properties of the absorbentmaterial and no additional arrangement other than calibration will beneeded. Moreover, compared to the scenario where sensors were embeddedor placed non-discriminately, embedding sensors at high-concentrationzones increases the sensing resolution. Moreover, by spatiallyseparating the substances, it is also possible to use the same types ofsensors (e.g., capacitance or conductance sensors) to detect differentproducts.

Computer System

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary computer system for providinghealth-related information, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. A computer system 1200 comprises a processor 1210, amemory 1220, and a storage 1230. In some embodiments, processor 1210 mayinclude a set of processors. Storage 1230 can store a number ofapplications, such as applications 1242 and 1244, and operating system1232. Storage 1230 can also store instructions that can be loaded intomemory 1220 and executed by processor 1210 to perform functions thatinclude receiving sensor data, analyzing the received sensor data, andextracting health information based on the analysis. In one embodiment,the instructions in storage 1230 can be part of a health-informationproviding application 1234 that implements a sensor-data receivingmodule 1236, a sensor-data processing module 1238, and ahealth-information extraction module 1240, all of which can be incommunication with each other through various means.

In some embodiments, modules 1236, 1238, and 1240 can be partially orentirely implemented in hardware and can be part of processor 1210.Further, in some embodiments, the system may not include a separateprocessor and memory. Instead, in addition to performing their specifictasks, modules 1236, 1238, and 1240, either separately or in concert,may be part of general- or special-purpose computation engines.

Computer system 1200 can be coupled to an optional display 1280 (whichcan be a touchscreen display), keyboard 1260, and pointing device 1270,and can also be coupled via one or more network interfaces to network1282.

The data structures and code described in this detailed description aretypically stored on a computer-readable storage medium, which may be anydevice or medium that can store code and/or data for use by a computersystem. The computer-readable storage medium includes, but is notlimited to, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, magnetic and opticalstorage devices such as disk drives, magnetic tape, CDs (compact discs),DVDs (digital versatile discs or digital video discs), or other mediacapable of storing computer-readable media now known or later developed.

The methods and processes described in the detailed description sectioncan be embodied as code and/or data, which can be stored in acomputer-readable storage medium as described above. When a computersystem reads and executes the code and/or data stored on thecomputer-readable storage medium, the computer system performs themethods and processes embodied as data structures and code and storedwithin the computer-readable storage medium.

Furthermore, methods and processes described herein can be included inhardware modules or apparatus. These modules or apparatus may include,but are not limited to, an application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC) chip, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a dedicated orshared processor that executes a particular software module or a pieceof code at a particular time, and/or other programmable-logic devicesnow known or later developed. When the hardware modules or apparatus areactivated, they perform the methods and processes included within them.

The above description is presented to enable any person skilled in theart to make and use the embodiments, and is provided in the context of aparticular application and its requirements. Various modifications tothe disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied toother embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit andscope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present invention is notlimited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scopeconsistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for analyzing substances within aliquid, comprising: an absorber that comprises one or more layers ofabsorbent material for absorbing the liquid; one or more sensorsembedded within the one or more layers of absorbent material, whereinthe sensors are configured to provide information associated with thesubstances included in the absorbed liquid; and electrical conductivetraces coupled to the one or more sensors, thereby facilitatingtransmission of outputs of the sensors.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the absorber is part of: a disposable feminine hygiene product(FHP); a disposable diaper; or a disposable wound dressing.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors include one or more of: acapacitance sensor; a conductance sensor; a chemical sensor; and abiological sensor.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the biologicalsensor includes a printable carbon-nanotube based sensor.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises body fluid.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 5, wherein the substances include one or more of: abiological substance; and a chemical substance.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising one or more of: a microprocessor coupled tothe sensors via the electrical conductive traces; a near-fieldcommunication (NFC) tag; and a radio-frequency identification (RFID)tag.
 8. An apparatus for analyzing a liquid contained in an absorbentmaterial, comprising: a needle array for penetrating the absorbentmaterial to extract the liquid; one or more sensors coupled to theneedle array, wherein the sensors are configured to provide informationassociated with substances included in the liquid; and electricalconductive traces coupled to the one or more sensors, therebyfacilitating transmission of outputs of the sensors.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the sensors include one or more of: a capacitancesensor; a conductance sensor; a chemical sensor; and a biologicalsensor.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the biological sensorincludes a printable carbon-nanotube based sensor.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the liquid comprises body fluid.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the substances include one or more of: a biologicalsubstance; and a chemical substance.
 13. The apparatus of claim 8,further comprising one or more of: a microprocessor coupled to thesensors via the electrical conductive traces; a near-field communication(NFC) tag; and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a physical enclosure thathouses the needle array, the sensors, and the electrical conductivetraces; and a handle coupled to the physical enclosure to reduce contactbetween a user of the apparatus and the absorbent material.
 15. Afeminine hygiene product (FHP), comprising: an absorber that comprisesone or more layers of absorbent material for absorbing menstrual fluid;one or more sensors embedded within the one or more layers of absorbentmaterial, wherein the sensors are configured to provide informationassociated with the substances included in the menstrual fluid; andelectrical conductive traces coupled to the one or more sensors, therebyfacilitating transmission of outputs of the sensors.
 16. The FHP ofclaim 15, wherein the sensors include one or more of: a capacitancesensor; a conductance sensor; a chemical sensor; and a biologicalsensor.
 17. The FHP of claim 16, wherein the biological sensor includesa printable carbon-nanotube based sensor.
 18. The FHP of claim 15,wherein the substances include one or more of: a biological substance;and a chemical substance.
 19. The FHP of claim 15, further comprisingone or more of: a microprocessor coupled to the sensors via theelectrical conductive traces; a near-field communication (NFC) tag; anda radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.
 20. A method for obtaininghealth information associated with a user of a feminine hygiene product(FHP), the method comprising: receiving outputs from one or more sensorsembedded in an absorption layer of the FHP, wherein the absorption layerabsorbs the user's menstrual fluid; analyzing the outputs of the sensorsto obtain information associated with one or more biological or chemicalsubstances included in the menstrual fluid; and extracting healthinformation associated with the user based on levels of the biologicalor chemical substances.